Evidence for the interchangeability of an avoidance behavior and a negative occasion setter.
Recent research on avoidance behavior provided evidence that such behavior can function as a negative occasion setter. We tested this hypothesis further by investigating whether the modulatory function of a stimulus occasion setter transfers selectively to a relation previously modulated by an avoidance behavior, and whether the modulatory function of an avoidance behavior transfers selectively to a relation previously modulated by a stimulus occasion setter. The three experiments reported in this article provided evidence to support this hypothesis. Furthermore, the results of Experiment 1 suggested that the presence of counterconditioning trials is not a necessary condition for an avoidance behavior to function as a negative occasion setter. All three reported experiments support the occasion-setting account of avoidance behavior.
Declercq
Mieke
M
Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. miekee.declercq@ugent.be
De Houwer
Jan
J
D000339:Affect; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D004924:Escape Reaction; D006801:Humans